Hydraulic jack mechanism



June 9, 1964 E. WOLF 3,136,526

HYDRAULIC JACK MECHANISM Filed Jan. 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 INVENTOR. /4

[OW/1RD 1 1/04- 147' TOR/V5 Y5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1962 m N T% M m U T v T L m a A n Q5 m 8 i M M 5 I E 41 x W Y I B om n 6 1 4 9 a 6 5 4 N Mn lmw m 2 m m F/U .1 f a M L 0 n United States Patent 4 Claims. (Cl. 25410) This invention generally relates to lifting apparatus, and is more particularly directed towards a hydraulic jack unit adapted for use under a vehicle such as for removal and replacement of transmissions, differentials and the like. 7

An object of the present invention is to provide a hy draulic lift unit which is of extremely compact configuration, and in which the actuating cylinder and the movement of the piston therein is substantially horizontal and normal to direction of lift.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described in which the platform on which the object to be raised is positioned is maintained in horizontal disposition, and in which the platform may be readily selectively provided with different forms of adaptors or jigs to accommodate a variety of objects.

A further object of this invention is to provide a unit of the above type which has greater and more eificient lifting characteristics than comparable units, and which may be readily moved into operative position beneath the object to be raised.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the apparatus of the present invention taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 1--1 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 3-3 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the position of the parts with the platform in a lowered position.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan View of the platform.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 66 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially in the plane indicated by line 77 of FIGURE 4.

As hereinabove suggested the apparatus of the present invention is designed to be manually movable along the floor with its platform subjacent an object to be raised, and then through manually actuatable hydraulic means, the platform and any object positioned thereon is lifted. As will be presently made clear, while the platform moves in a generally vertical direction, the hydraulic unit moves in a generally horizontal direction, and thus the amount of vertical lift for a given size unit may be much greater than for a vertical cylinder type unit, and likewise is capable of being inserted into a very small space when the platform is in its lowered position.

As here illustrated, the apparatus includes a carriage 12 having a pair of parallel sides 13 and an end 14. A plurality of bosses are provided adjacent the corners of the carriage in which suitable rollers or wheels 16 are mounted for movement of the .carriage along the ground.

3,136,526 Patented June 9, 1964 To facilitate such movement, the end of the carriage remote from end 14 is provided with a handle 17 suitably pivoted to carriage sides 13.

A hydraulic cylinder 21 extends generally horizontally between the sides 13 of the carriage and has its base welded or otherwise fixedly secured to a transversely extending bearing 22, the latter having its ends pivotally connected to the rear ends of a pair of mounting arms 23, the forward ends of such arms being secured to'the carriage sides 13 such as by bolts 24. Cylinder 21 is provided with a forwardly extending piston rod 26 whose free end carries a T-shaped head 27 to which is pivotally connected the forward ends of a pair of links 28 which are likewise generally horizontally disposed and parallel to the carriage sides 13. As the piston rod is extended and retracted in the conventional manner of hydraulic cylinder actuation, the links 28 will be moved longitudinally of'the carriage, and as will be presently explained, such fore and aft movement is utilized to effect a selective raising and-lowering of a platform 31 on which the object to be raised is positioned.

In connection with the foregoing, a pair of transversely extending parallel pivotal members 32 and 33 are provided, each such member being pivotally connected to transverse shafts 34 and 36, the latter shafts being mounted on the carriage sides 14. The members 32 and 33 are provided with pairs of spaced radially extending ears 41 and 42 respectively. Each of the pairs of ears are pivotal- 1y connected to spaced portions of links 28. It will also be noted that the platform 31 is operatively carried on the members 32 and 33 by means of two pairs of arms 44 and 46, said arms each having one end thereof connected to the platform 31 and the other ends attached to cars 47 and 48 of the members.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that as piston rod 26 is extended, such as by actuating a pump handle 49 causing fluid from a reservoir 51 to pass through a conduit 52 to the rear end of cylinder 21, the links 28 will move to the right from their position shown in FIGURE 4 to that shown in FIGURE 2. Such movement will be translated through ears 41 and 42 to shafts 32 and 33 causing them to pivot in a clockwise direction about the shafts 34 and 36. The movement thus imparted to the cars 47 and 48 results in the arms 44 and 46 moving from their normal generally horizontal position shown in FIGURE 4 to their operative upwardly extending position illustrated in FIGURE 2. Conversely, upon retraction of piston rod 26, such as by opening a valve 56 and permitting platform 31 to gravitationally descend, the reverse action occurs until the parts assume their inoperative position shown in FIGURE 4.

Platform 31 is capable of adjustment by providing the latter with an upper planar base surface 58 and a subjacent bracket 59 to which the arms 44 and 46 are pivotally connected. The bracket is provided with a plurality of adjusting screws 61 bearing on and supporting the underside of base 58. While the base 58 may be used to directly support an object being raised, various jigs or fixtures such as upstanding apertured flanges 63 to selectively support corner straps 64 or a jig 66 may be utilized to properly secure a diiferential or transmission on the platform.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus of the character described including a base structure, a generally horizontally disposed cylinder carried by said base and having a piston rod extending therefrom, a first pivotable member adapted for pivotal movement about a axis generally normal to said cylinder, a second pivotable member adapted for pivotal movement about an axis generally normal to said cylinder, said pivotable members being disposed in adjacent relationship, a link having one end portion thereof pivotally connected to said rod and the other end portion thereof pivotally connected to each of said pivotable members for imparting pivotal movement to said members upon piston rod movement, and a pair of support arms each fixedly connected respectively to one of said members for raising and lowering an object in response to movement of said rod. I 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the distal end of each of said arms is pivotally connected to a platform, and means for selectively adjusting the disposition of said platform relative to said arms. 3. Jack apparatus comprising, in combination, a generally elongated base, an hydraulic cylinder disposed generally longitudinally of said base in a substantially horizontal position, a mounting arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to said base and pivotally secured at the other end adjacent one end of said cylinder, a piston rod extending from the other end of said cylinder and adapted for reciprocating movement relative thereto, a pair of pivotable members pivotally secured to said base above said cylinder and each adapted for movement about an axis generally normal to said cylinder, a link having one 4: portion thereof pivotally connected to said rod and spaced rear portions pivotally connected to the respective pivotable members, and each of said members having a lifting arm connected thereto.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3, further defined by said pivotable members having their axes of rotation disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,873,473 Pfauser Aug. 23, 1932 1,951,398 Dearsley Mar. 20, 1934 2,189,010 Lewis Feb. 6, 1940 2,219,525 Maxon Oct. 29, 1940 2,480,916 Gibson Sept. 6, 1949 2,523,734 Stephenson et a1 Sept. 26, 1950 2,747,837 Turner May 29, 1956 2,838,278 Iohnsen June 10, 1958 2,920,773 Knabe Jan. 12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,223 Great Britain of 1911 

1. APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED INCLUDING A BASE STRUCTURE, A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED CYLINDER CARRIED BY SAID BASE AND HAVING A PISTON ROD EXTENDING THEREFROM, A FIRST PIVOTABLE MEMBER ADAPTED FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A AXIS GENERALLY NORMAL TO SAID CYLINDER, A SECOND PIVOTABLE MEMBER ADAPTED FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS GENERALLY NORMAL TO SAID CYLINDER, SAID PIVOTABLE MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED IN ADJACENT RELATIONSHIP, A LINK HAVING ONE END PORTION THEREOF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID ROD AND THE OTHER END PORTION THEREOF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID PIVOTABLE MEMBERS FOR IMPARTING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT TO SAID MEMBERS UPON PISTON ROD MOVEMENT, AND A PAIR OF SUPPORT ARMS EACH FIXEDLY CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS FOR RAISING 